59th Ordnance BrigadeUS Army, EuropeLooking for more information from military/civilian
personnel assigned to or associated with the U.S. Army
in Germany from 1945 to 1989. If you have any
stories or thoughts on the subject, please contact me.

(Source: A Look Back ... at the 59th Ordnance Brigade. Final issue of the 59th COURIER, the command newspaper, published in 1992.)

59th Ordnance
Brigade: One for history books.

At one
time, the 59th Ordnance Brigade
was the largest brigade in the U.S. Army. The 59th covered
95,000 square miles from the border of Denmark, south to Switzerland,
west into the Netherlands and spread throughout western Germany
with over 7,000 soldiers.

The soldiers within the 59th came from a wide variety of different
occupations. The vast majority of soldiers were artillery,
ordnance and military police, however, several support occupations
were included to fill out this well-rounded brigade.

One word stands out when describing the 59th Ordnance Brigade.
Unique.

Unique in that this command successfully meshed three Army
branches, the ordnance, artillery and military police corps,
and performed a mission that came to be known as the backbone
of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Unique in that nearly one half of the personnel assigned to
the command lived and worked on installations throughout Germany,
which were maintained by Great Britain, the Netherlands, Germany
and Belgium.

History
The history of the 59th Ordnance Brigade and its forerunners,
the Advanced Weapons Support Command (AWSCOM)
and the Special Ammunition Support Command
(SASCOM), reaches back into the 1950s, several years before
the command's headquarters was organized.

In April 1955, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 71st
Ordnance Group was organized and assigned to
the Seventh U.S. Army and stationed in Pirmasens, Germany.

In June 1959, the 71st Ordnance Group was officially redesignated
as AWSCOM as part of Theater Army
Support Group.

AWSCOM was redesignated as the 59th Ordnance Group (Ammunition)
in March 1962. The Group assumed a record of service that went
back to 1943 with the Headquarters and Headquarters Company.
By May 1962, 21 units were assigned to the 59th Ordnance Group.
In June 1965, AWSCOM was authorized as the official abbreviation
for the 59th Ordnance Group (Ammunition).

While the 59th Ordnance Group was undergoing its 12-year metamorphosis,
events were taking place that were to have a shaping influence
on the 59th Ordnance Brigade as it is known today.

In
1957 President Eisenhower offered certain special weapons to
NATO. Congressional restraints prevented this offer from becoming
an outright grant. Instead, it was provided that weapons should
be positioned in allied countries but these weapons would remain
United States property.

June 23, 1958 marked the first, of what would be later called,
Special Ammunition Support Command (SASCOM) units on foreign
soil (Turkey), and the first special weapons support provided
to an allied nation. The establishment of SASCOM was a slow
process due to the types of agreements that had to be concluded
between the United States and the NATO nations before special
weapons could be made available and the program could get under
way.

Once all agreements had been concluded the Special Ammunition
Support Command, born on April 15, 1960, became a significant
part of the United States commitment to NATO.

Headquartered in Frankfurt, SASCOM, was organized with two types
of units, artillery and ordnance. The 1960s saw SASCOM grow
at a tremendous pace as new groups were activated and detachments
assigned to them. By 1967, SASCOM was

On Oct. 20, 1972, the command envisioned by the NATO Advanced
Weapons Division 13 years before came into being. The artillery
detachments, the ordnance companies, and the depot companies
were combined into one command. The similar, but separate
missions performed for so long by SASCOM and the 59th Ordnance
Group (Ammunition) AWSCOM, were now assumed by one command
- the 59th Ordnance Group, later to be officially called
and accepted as the 59th Ordnance Group (SASCOM).

The new command, headquartered in Pirmasens on Husterhoeh
Kaserne, saw many changes during the next few years.

As
a result of the formation of the new command, several artillery
groups inactivated and joined their forces under the new command,
and two ordnance battalion headquarters were activated.

Effective Aug. 22, 1977, the 59th Ordnance Group was redesignated
as the 59th Ordnance Brigade and increased its mission to
include support of guided missile systems and land combat
systems used by the U.S. Army Corps in Europe.

Mission
The brigade's mission was to provide direct and general special
weapons support for all U.S. Army, Europe, and NATO forces.
In reality, this mission was one of the most unique, complex
and difficult to be found in any army in the world.

Organization
At the time of the inactivation announcement, the brigade
was composed of five artillery groups, two ordnance battalions
and a headquarters support battalion, totaling more than 2,900
military and 100 civilian personnel.

The artillery groups consisted of an ordnance company, artillery
detachments and a headquarters detachment. The groups provided
custody, control, maintenance, and supply of ammunition for
our NATO allies. Some detachments had the dual mission of
performing technical support and maintenance, while simultaneously
performing custodial agent functions.

Found your article on the Ordnance Companies interesting but lacking when it came to the special weapons units. Here is some information on the SW units in Europe when I was there. Took me a while to find where I had put this stuff.

The 529th Ord Co was a general support/depot company for most of the Theater. It was located in a cave complex in a small valley near the town of Masswieler a few minutes drive from Pirmasens. The cave complex was built and used by the Germans in WWII and still had the Eagles over the doors. I was there from Dec 66 till Sep 67 and again from Oct 71 till Nov 72 when they closed the unit. The 529th was under AWSCOM (Advanced Weapons Support Command) located in Pirmasens. The 529th had most of the load test mission for the theater and was a parts depot for SW test and handling equipment. We had one MP company collocated with us for security.

I was stationed at the 64th Ord Co at Fischbach from Sep 67 to May 69 and again from Oct 73 to Aug 75. During the 67-69 time there was a Sergeant GS Company (575th Ord Co) I think and two MP companies (193rd & 564th ?) that were assigned to the depot. The 64th was a SW GS Company for the southern half of Europe, the 9th Ord Co having the other half. The 64th had a mission for all SW, rocket motor support for Nike Herk and a full load 8” mission for the SW rounds. There were no extra facilities located at Fischbach so all traveled to Pirmasens for their needs, Commissary, PX, Gym, & clubs. The 64th was a stockpile site and the storage platoon had over 100 people assigned. MAJ Ron Finkbiener was the commander during the 73-75 time frame.

The 197th Ord Bn was created about Nov 72 and was located at Fischbach and had control over the 64th and 525th Ord Co. The commander was LTC Lynn Stevens. By this time the 575th Ord Co was gone.

(Source: Email from Ron Youngman, HQ AWSCOM, 1966-1969)

I was in the Surety Division of AWSCOM Headquarters in Pirmasens from 1966-1969.

I was a Spec 5. We prepared all the maintenance instructions for several nuclear warheads, i.e Nike, Honest John, Sergeant, Pershing and 155. We had nine ordnance units under our command which we were responsible for. The headquarters Advanced Weapons Support Command was also was responsible for the transport of the weapons to Germany through different means. We also had sites in France and Italy.

The 32 (Webmaster note: should be 22nd?) Aviation Detachment across the street was responsible for the deliver units.

I was assigned to the HHC 59 Ordnance Group which was next doors to the headquarters building. Buildings were used by the German SS elites during WWII. Our section chief was a LTC and I worked with a CPT, Two senior NCO's one an E-7 and one a E-8. Also worked with 6 chief warrant officers. Good job and personnel to work with.

Seems like yesterday but I left Pirmasens in March of 1969.

Several personnel were sent to Vietnam from our unit. A list came out every month.

There was the 97th Engineer Battalion on base and the the whole unit was sent to Vietnam. There one day and gone the next morning.

I remember the good NCO club we had and off base beer and sandwich shops. I traveled all over Europe to places I was allowed to go to. There were places I could not go to because of my security clearance.

1982

(Source: Email from Bob Eccles)

I joined the Army in January of 1982. I served in the 59th Ordnance Brigade from roughly April of 1982 to January of 1985. I started out with the 164th Military Police Company based at Miesau Army Depot, where I performed nuclear physical security duties. I am proud to have participated in a couple of events of historical note, specifically securing Pershing Two missiles arriving at Ramstein AFB, and what I believe was the first land convoy of nuclear weapons in Germany since the 1950's.

The second half of my time with the 59th was spent as the driver for the Commanding General, BG Harry Walker. I drove the Commanding General and Command Sergeant Major in an unmarked Mercedes sedan, following the convoy vehicles. We spent a lot of time in the armor-plated and bullet-proof BMW 733-i criss-crossing Germany (West Germany, at the time) and Belgium visiting units of the 59th.

On our way back to Brigade headquarters in Pirmasens, we listened as local radio newscasters reported the convoy. Our CSM spoke fluent German, so he could translate what was being said.

Transporting nukes around Germany (and occasionally Belgium) was pretty interesting by helicopter, too. We flew around in "Chinook" helicopters. I remember once we had to land in a field in the middle of the German countryside, and rush out and set up a perimiter around the chopper. I overheard the pilot say that he had lost hydrolic pressure. Kinda scary!
Bob Eccles

1985

(Source: Joe
Luongo, 59th Ord Bde, 1985-88)

I was assigned
to the 59th Ord Bde from Dec 1985 to Nov 1988. I started at the Bde
staff in the Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Surety. I
was a physical security inspector. I inspected sites all over the
Bde. I went from Flensburg in the north to Füssen in the south.
Some of the units that I remember inspecting are the 162nd OD CO,
the 74th USAFAD, the 510th OD CO, the 619th OD CO and the 1st USAFAD.
There were alot more but those are the one's I remember most.

After 6 months on the surety team and being TDY 3 weeks of the month
I took command of the 164th MP CO at Miesau in July of 1986. The 164th
was then part of the 3rd OD BN that was headquartered in Pirmasens.
The 164th was the biggest MP CO in USAREUR. We had a authorized strength
of 284 soldiers. We secured one of the largest nuclear storage sites
in Europe. We provided security for air missions all over West Germany.
Between air missions, inspections, demos for visiting VIPs and the
day to day mission it never stopped. It was a tough command and pretty
stressful but it was the highlight of my career. Nothing I did before
or after has equaled it. I was very lucky I had great soldiers who
always accomplished the mission no matter how bad things got.

After 21 month of command I went to the 3rd ORD to be the S-2.

I retired in 1996 and was called back to active duty in 2002.

I often run into people who served in the 59th. And its alway fun
to listen to the stories. Everyone always agrees that there was not
doubt what your mission was. Hopefully there will be more comments
from other people
Joe Luongo

If you have more
information on the history or organization of the 59th Ord Bde, please
contact me.

(Source: A Look Back ... at the 59th Ordnance Brigade. Final issue of the 59th COURIER, the command newspaper, published in 1992.)

59th's role
in NATO.

During
its many years of service, the 59th Ordnance Brigade provided
a valuable link between the peacetime readiness of U.S.
forces and the ability to support forces of our NATO allies
in the event of war.

To provide for group self-defense, NATO has three major
commands - Allied Command, Europe, (ACE); Allied Command,
Channel; and Allied Command, Atlantic.

In wartime, the 59th Ordnance Brigade would have come under
the operational control of ACE commanded by the Supreme
Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR). The mission given to
SACEUR by NATO is to contribute to the deterrence of all
forms of attack against countries and peoples in ACE and,
should any attack occur, to take all military measures necessary
to preserve or restore the borders and security of Western
Europe.

The more than 70,000 square miles for which SACEUR is tasked
to defend is divided into four commands - Allied Forces,
Northern Europe; Allied Forces, Central Europe; Allied Forces,
Southern Europe; and the United Kingdom Air Forces. Within
these commands there are various other subordinate headquarters.

Germany
north of the Elbe River, and the adjacent sea areas. A subordinate
command of AFNORTH, Allied Forces, Baltic Approaches (BALTAP)
is the parent command for Allied Land Forces, Schleswig-Holstein
and Jutland (LANDJUT), which contains forces that were supported
by elements of the 59th Ordnance Brigade.

The largest of ACE's subordinate commands, Allied Forces,
Southern Europe (AFSOUTH), includes Italy, Greece, Turkey,
the Black Sea, and the entire Mediterranean Sea.

The third subordinate command, United Kingdom Air Forces (UKAIR),
is a single service subordinate command - the Royal Air Force
supplies all of the assets. It is a multi-role command, spanning
all functions of air power.

The fourth and last major command, Allied Forces, Central
Europe (AFCENT), contained most of the units supported by
the artillery groups and ordnance battalions of the 59th Ordnance
Brigade. AFCENT's area of responsibility extends from the
North Sea and the Elbe River to the borders of Austria and
Switzerland.

The major subordinate commands of AFCENT are Northern Army
Group (NORTHAG), Central Army Group

(CENTAG),
and Allied Forces, Central Europe (AAFCE).

NORTHAG is composed of four national corps from Belgium, the
United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands. The headquarters
included an element from the 59th Ordnance Brigade to assist
in planning and coordination. The NORTHAG area of responsibility
stretches from Hamburg to Kassel, and from the inner German
border to the Dutch and Belgian borders.

CENTAG, covering the middle and southern areas of Germany,
consists of two German corps, two U.S. corps, and a Canadian
mechanized brigade. There was also a 59th Ordnance Brigade
staff element at CENTAG headquarters.

Exercising operational control over the 2nd and 4th ATAF,
AAFCE is responsible for deterring air attacks and responding
if attack should occur.

As can be seen, Allied Command, Europe, is a complex organization
combining the armed forces of many nations and requiring close
liaison to ensure cooperation and, ultimately, the ability
to respond in the event of war. The 59th Ordnance Brigade
was an important part of this command and an integral element
in NATO's deterrence of aggression.

(Source: A Look Back ... at the 59th Ordnance Brigade. Final issue of the 59th COURIER, the command newspaper, published in 1992.)

Headquarters
Support Battalion

The Headquarters
Support Battalion was organized as the Special Troops Battalion
on October 1979, to command and control the four separate
units assigned to the 59th Ordnance Brigade: Headquarters
and Headquarters Company, 165th Signal Company, 22nd Aviation
Detachment, and the U.S. Permissive Action Link Detachment.
These units provided the brigade headquarters with administrative,
logistical, communications, transportation, and classified
support.

In May 1983, the Special Troops Battalion was redesignated
Theater Support Battalion (Provisional). The Headquarters
Commandant was formed the following month to assume the support
mission responsibility. The four units were attached to the
Headquarters Commandant for administrative and logistical
purposes.

In the spring of 1984, Headquarters Commandant was redesignated
as Headquarters Command. In August of that same year, Headquarters
Support Battalion was created and it assumed provisional status
in February 1985.

Finally, in October 1985, Headquarters Support Battalion was
activated with the Headquarters and Headquarters Company,
165th Signal Company, 22nd Aviation Detachment and the PAL
Detachment under its control. The Headquarters Support Battalion
is scheduled to inactivate in September 1992.

Headquarters and Headquarters Company
Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 59th Ordnance Brigade
was constituted and activated in the U.S. Army in 1943 as

The following year, the battalion was reorganized and redesignated
as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 59th Ordnance Group.
The Group served with distinction as part of the Ninth Army
in World War II and was awarded battle credits for participation
in the Central Europe Campaign and the Rhineland Campaign.

Inactivated at Fort Jackson, S.C. in February 1946, Headquarters
and Headquarters Detachment was again active in Guam from April
1947 to December 1948.

Redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 59th
Ordnance Group in 1951, the unit served in Korea and took part
in five campaigns. The Group was awarded the Meritorious Unit
Citation for its outstanding service in Korea. The unit was
inactivated in Korea in May 1957.

In March 1962, the Group was activated in Germany as Headquarters
and Headquarters Company, 59th Ordnance Group (Ammunition).
Later that year, it was redesignated the 59th Ordnance Group,
Advanced Weapons Support Command (AWSCOM).

AWSCOW and the former Special Ammunition Support Command (SASCOM)
were consolidated and merged to form a "new" SASCOM in 1972.
The new 59th Ordnance Group (SASCOM) moved from Frankfurt to
the old AWSCOM headquarters in Pirmasens.

On 22 August 1977, 59th Ordnance Group (SASCOM) was reorganized
and redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 59th
Ordnance Brigade. HHC, 59th is scheduled to inactivate in September
1992.

22nd Aviation Detachment
The 22nd Aviation Detachment was constituted in the regular
Army as the 22nd Special Warfare Aviation Detachment in March
1962 and activated at Fort Bragg, N.C. In June 1962, it was
reorganized and redesignated as the 22nd Aviation

Detachment (Special Forces). The Detachment was inactivated
in December 1963.

The unit was activated in September 1965 as the 22nd Transportation
Company in Pirmasens, Germany and assigned to U.S. Army Communications
Zone Transportation Command with attachment to the U.S. Army
Advanced Weapons Support Command. The 22nd replaced the 26th
Transportation Company which was inactivated. The following
month, the activation orders were amended to designate the unit
as the 22nd Aviation Detachment.

In May 1967, the detachment was assigned directly under U.S.
Army Communications Zone with attachment to AWSCOM. In 1971,
and again in 1977, the 22nd Aviation Detachment was named the
USAREUR Region AAAA Aviation Detachment Size Unit of the Year.
The 22nd will inactivate in July 1992.

Permissive Action Link
In December 1963, the U.S. Army Permissive Action Link Detachment
was organized and assigned to Headquarters, U.S. Army Materiel
Command, Europe. The detachment was attached to the Advanced
Weapons Support Command for administrative and logistical support.

Prior to December 1963, the Army PAL Detachment had been known
as the U.S. Army Control Detachment, the U.S. Army Surveillance
Detachment, and the U.S. Army PAL Surveillance Detachment.

In September 1970, the PAL Detachment was assigned to the U.S.
Army Theater Support Command, Europe, and attached to AWSCOM.
In July 1972, the PAL Detachment was placed under the operational
control of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, USAREUR,
and in May 1974, it was reassigned to the 59th Ordnance Group
(Special Ammunition Support Command).

The Permissive Action Link Detachment was the only unit of its
kind in the U.S. Army, consisting mainly of officers and noncommissioned
officers. The PAL Detachment was inactivated in June 1992.

165th
Signal Company
The 165th Signal Company was constituted in February 1942 as
the 165th Signal Photographic Company. The 165th was activated
in June 1942 at Camp Crowder, Mo. Serving in the European Theater
during World War II, the company received credit for five campaigns
and was awarded a Meritorious Unit Commendation.

After the war, the 165th was inactivated at Camp Kilmer, N.J.
in March 1946. In February 1957, the unit was redesignated as
the 165th Signal Company and was activated at Camp Hood, Texas
the following month. The 165th was inactivated at Fort Carson,
Colorado in August 1961.

The company was activated once again in August 1967 at Fort
Bragg, N.C. and was inactivated there in January 1971. In September
1975, the 165th Signal Company was activated in Germany and
assigned to the 59th Ordnance Group. The 165th Signal Company
inactivated in June 1992.

Northern Army Group
Working as a part of the NATO team in the largest collocated
military complex in

Western Europe, was the small group of men and women of the
brigade's staff
element at the Northern Army Group/Second Allied Tactical Air
Force Joint Headquarters in Rheindahlen, near the city of Moenchengladbach.

This facility also served as the headquarters for the British
Army of Rhine (BAOR) and Royal Air Force, Germany.

The staff elements main mission was to advise and coordinate
the planning of weapons support to the four NORTHAG corps and
to 2ATAF and provided a link between the brigade and its administrative
locations in northern Germany and Holland and with other NATO
commands.

Part of the element's mission was to assist the NORTHAG/2ATAF
staffs in planning exercises or operations and to participate
in joint exercises in support of various NATO units. In addition,
members of the element joined with other representatives of
other commands to form NATO evaluation teams which were used
to test units of the northern artillery groups of the brigade.
Pinpointing problems at the groups and providing assistance
comprised a large

portion
of the element's peacetime mission. (See page 61 for history
of NORTHAG.)
Central Army Group
In counterpoint to the Staff Element NORTHAG, the brigade established
a brigade staff element at Central Army Group/Fourth Allied
Tactical Air Force (CENTAG/4ATAF) in Heidelberg.

Collocated with Headquarters, U.S. Army, Europe, and Allied
Command Europe Mobile Forces Land, this specialized staff section
served as a focal point for coordinating actions and maintaining
a visible interrelationship between the brigade and the NATO
headquarters for the four separate corps located in central
and southern Germany.

While they lived in Heidelberg, "the home of the general," members
of the staff element were often called upon to host as well
as attend high level conferences, special functions, and be
specially trained to monitor, support and participate in major
NATO exercises to accomplish their mission while under direct
supervision of the 59th Ordnance Brigade commander. (See page
62 for history of CENTAG.)

I just found the website for the 59th while researching other topics. Of course your site side tracked me for a little while. I was the last commander of HHC 59 OD Bde and the very last person to sign out of the brigade on 30 Sep 92 after the official inactivation. I had to sign out of 196th OD Bn located right across the street.

Lots of memories, seen lots of former 59 OD soldiers, and we all had good memories … though I think we seem to have remembered the best of our experiences.

I still have the sign from HHC 59 OD Bde after I discovered that the installation was just going to turn it into scrap metal.

1SG Mark Hole was the last 1SG of HHC. Great guy who went on to make CSM. It could not have happened to a better NCO. My XO, 1LT Bruce Tharpe, ETS'd service and went to Penn State to get his Masters in Engineering. Last thing I got from him was that he was enjoying school and in the process of setting up his own engineering firm. I'm sure by now that he must have the corner on any kind of engineering needs on the East Coast.

In the final months of 59th OD Bde and HHC, we blossomed from the normal 400 soldiers to over 700 soldiers as units went out of business to meet President Bush's mandate to eliminate all tactical special weapons in Europe. All of the special T&H gear was turned in to the supply section which was headed by 1LT Zulma Guerrero, now LTC and serving in the 19th ESC, Daegu Korea. She is going very well. I expect her to pick up a BN Command and pin on COL. We also served together in CFLCC on the G4 staff.

I've had a pretty good career and ended up with 7 commands. I still think that LTC John Nyere was the best boss that I ever had. He was always even keeled and let me run to the end of my rope before interjecting his thoughts on what he thought I should be doing. His examples have guided me through my entire career and I've been pretty successful. Every new company commander should have a boss like him to guide them through their commands. When I rotated into every command I use the same words that he told me right before my HHC 59 COC.

I was really nervous and had no idea of what to right for a COC speech. I spent the better part of two evenings at home thinking up stuff of what I wanted to do and we would be a great unit. As I'm standing in the side of the gym waiting for our cue to go out the podium to begin the COC he looks at me, notices that I'm looking through about 5 pages of speech and simply says to me, "Son, keep it short, you haven't done anything yet". I shortened my speech to, I'm proud to be selected for command and essentially I'll do the best I can. Every soldier was relieved after the outgoing commander went on for what seemed like an eternity.

By the way, another person out of the PAL Detachment, COL Patrick Harris, is now in the Army War College and will graduate this summer. Amazing how well all of us that were assigned to the Brigade have done.

It is the only battalion in the U.S. Army with a general support
missile maintenance mission. Its units have the unique advantage,
at least as far as the 59th is concerned, of being in or very
close to military communities.

The 3rd is also a notable battalion in that it sends its servicemembers
to far away places such as Crete (Greece), Italy, Berlin,
Grafenwoehr, and Garlstedt in Germany for support of missile
firings.

A former 3rd Ord commander once remarked that the average
soldier in his battalion was "not only very technically oriented
but also liked to get out and enjoy the attractions of Germany".

The 3rd Ordnance Battalion has a wide ranging mission. It
provides general support and some direct support maintenance
for every type of missile system the Army uses in NATO: Hawk,
Nike-Hercules, Pershing, Chapparral, Redeye, Stinger, Lance,
Tow, Dragon, Shillelagh, Vulcan gun system and Forward Area
Alerting Radar (FAAR).

Although the 3rd's mission is centered around missile maintenance,
it has a wide variety of jobs within its ranks with over 68
MOS's among its 942 members.

A little history: The 3rd began as an automotive support unit
in the Pacific theatre during World War II (note the cog and
palm tree on its crest) and was deactivated after the war.
During the Vietnam conflict the 3rd Ord served as a conventional
ammunition battalion until its deactivation in April 1972.

The 3rd's recent history has been dotted with honor, as it became
the first unit in USAREUR in 1981 to store and maintain the
advanced Stinger missile. That same year, the 3rd also underwent
inspection from none other than the Vice-Chief of Staff of the
U.S. Army, Gen. Thomas Vessey.

The 3rd also fielded a fine Nijmegen (Netherlands) March team
in 1980 which went on to place among the top 10 percent of the
10,000 soldiers that trecked the famous 1000 mile route.

The battalion sends soldiers to the Armed Forces Recreation
Centers in Garmisch every year for adventure training. There
they are instructed in survival techniques under adverse conditions.

When the 59th underwent a reorganization in 1977, the 3rd reactivated
and took under its wing the 4th Ordnance Company in Miesau;
the 41st Ordnance Company in Kaiserslautern; the 563rd Ordnance
Company in Wiesbaden; and the 579th Ordance Company in Neu-Ulm,
which has since been transferred to the 56th FA Brigade.

In providing general support it repairs, maintains, stores,
renovates and issues missiles to direct support units around
USAREUR, a complicated mission to say the least.

The 3rd also provides direct support for units such as the Berlin
Brigade, the 2nd Armored Division Forward and the 7th Army Training
Center.

Part of the 3rd's mission is to maintain an 'Operational Readiness
Float' in which a reserve of missiles, generators and other
support equipment are kept for use by other units when their
equipment breaks down.

The 3rd's organic companies, in brief:
The Headquarters and Headquarters Company
of the 3rd is situated on Taukkunen Barracks in historic Worms,
city of the Protestant Reformation. Soldiers in Worms, when
not involved in the affairs of operating a battalion, have ample
opportunity to visit the Martin Luther monument, roam through
Romanesque and Baroque churches, attend a winefest, or see the
opera in this city of 80,000 along the Rhine River. The headquarters
also plays host to battalion tournaments in basketball, football
and softball each year.

The
4th Ordnance Company at the Miesau
Army Depot near Kaiserslautern services Nike-Herkules and Improved
Hawk missiles for the 32nd Army Air Defense Command. Its members
take advantage of the many volksmarching (German for "people's
walk") and hiking trails in the Miesau area.

The 4th distinguishes itself through an active suggestion awards
program that contributed over $ 144,000 in savings during the
first five months of 1981 alone.

The 4th is part of the Zweibrucken Military Community and its
members have close access to all the benefits of Kaiserslautern
as welI.

As a note, the 4th's location is the scene of a yearly gathering
of Miesau's Protestants under an oak tree in a sensitive part
of the Miesau Army Depot. The tradition is a centuries old token
of the religious defiance of the town's citizens.

The 41st Ordnance Company in Vogelweh,
near Kaiserslautern, performs ammunition storage, issue, and
maintenance functions on a wide variety of missiles, mostly
at its two storage facilities in Fischbach and Weilerbach. It
also features a Dedicated Delivery Service program whereby missiles
are exchanged on site at artillery batteries.

Both the 41st and the 4th are located close to the Kaiserslautern
Military Community, which contains approximatelys 50,000 servicemen
and has several large exchanges, auto garages, pizza huts, camera
and stereo shops, parts stores, and other spacious facilities
operated by the Army/Air Force Exchange Service.

The 563rd Ordnance Company in Wiesbaden
maintains ten different missile systems. It competes strongly
in sports activities within its military community and within
the Battalion. During off-duty time soldiers of the 563rd enjoy
the many sights in Wiesbaden on the Rhine River and take in
an occasional round of golf at a course located adjacent to
its Kaserne.

The 3rd Ordnance Battalion isn't the largest battalion-sized
unit in the 59th, but it has one of the strongest traditions
of excellence to be found in any unit.

SASCOM Organization late 1964

(Source: A Look Back ... at the 59th Ordnance Brigade. Final issue of the 59th COURIER, the command newspaper, published in 1992.)

514th US Army
Artillery Group

The 514th
US Army Artillery Group was constituted in February 1943 in
the Army of the United States as the 514th Field Artillery Battalion,
(155mm Gun)(Tractor Drawn). The battalion was activated later
that year at Fort Lewis, Wash.

After completing unit training, the battalion departed Fort
Lewis and traveled to Fort Bragg, N.C. where it was assigned
to the XVIII Corps for further training in May 1943.

The 514th arrived in Europe in October 1944 and received credit for participating in four campaigns.

In August 1945, the 514th returned to the United States where it was inactivated in February 1946.

In September 1948, the 514th Battalion was redesignated as the 958th Field Artillery Rocket Battalion and allotted to the Organized Reserve Corps. The battalion was active from September 1948 through August 1950 at Fresno, Calif.

In March 1952, the 958th Field Artillery Rocket Battalion was redesignated as the 514th Field Artillery Battalion and it was allotted to to the Regular Army later that year.

Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 514th Field Artillery Battalion, was redesignated as Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 514th US Army Field Artillery Group in May 1961.

Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 514th US Army Artillery Group was activated in Germany and stationed at Mönchengladbach in December 1961. The Group was subordinate to the Special Ammunition Support Command. The 514th Group's mission was to implement the SASCOM Special Ammunition Support Program in cooperation with the Northern Army Group (NORTHAG) and Second Allied Tactical Air Force (2ATAF).

With the merger of SASCOM and AWSCOM in October 1972, the 514th USAAG was deactivated.

The personnel and spaces made available from the deactivation
were used to establish the 59th Ordnance Group Staff Element
at NORTHAG. The staff element at NORTHAG was inactivated in
April 1992.

(Source: A Look Back ... at the 59th Ordnance Brigade. Final issue of the 59th COURIER, the command newspaper, published in 1992.)

548th US Army
Artillery Group

The 548th
US Army Artillery Group was constituted in the Army of the United
States as the 548th Field Artillery Battalion in March 1944.

Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 548th Field Artillery Battalion was redesignated as Headquarters and Headquaters Detachment, 548th US Army Artillery Group in May 1961. The 548th US Army Artillery Group (Provisional) was organized and assigned to the Special Ammunition Support Command in August 1961.

In October 1961, Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 548th US Army Artillery Group was (officially) activated and assigned to SASCOM.

In April 1962, the group was further attached to the US Army Element (Support Command), Headquarters, Central Army Group (CENTAG). Consurrently, the 548th Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment moved to Seckenheim (Hammonds Barracks).

With the merger of SASCOM and AWSCOM in October 1972, the 548th
USAAG was inactivated and its subordinate groups assigned directly
under the new 59th Ordnance Group. The liaison role performed
by Hqs 548th became the responsibility of the 59th Ord Gp Staff
Element at CENTAG which was composed of spaces from the 548th.
The staff element at CENTAG was inactivated in June 1992.

Webmaster
Note: According to some information I found some time ago, HHD,
548th USAAG was originally located at Lüdenscheid, Germany, a
small town northeast of Köln (Cologne). Can
anyone confirm and provide details?

165th Signal Company

1975

(Source: Email from
Carl F. House)

The 165th Signal Company was formed out of the maintenance and signal platoons of HHC 59th ORD GP (SASCOM). Stand up date was on or about 21 Sep 1975. The Company was commanded by CPT John G. Tesmer (sp?).

I was transferred to the 165th with no movement involved from HHC 59th on the date I provided (21 Sep 1975). The 59th, 22nd Avn and 165th shared the same motor pool.

I was also assigned to
1/54 Inf, Bamberg, 1979-1982; and 7th Army CATC, Vilseck 1984-1987.

(Source: Email from Bruno Harmann)

I was a Sp4 stationed in the 165th Signal Co, Pirmasens. While I was only in the Army for three years I remember Pirmasens well.

I was a 29N Dial Office repairer, I did telephone work. I remember re-wiring many buildings in the Husterhoeh Kasernes. I helped to rewire the Banana building and many of the "outsites" as we called them.

I had a NATO secret clearance and often had to travel to Fischbach and many other places out in the woods in a green Army VW van that I picked up brand new in Wolfsburg. I remember often going out to some of these sites, sometimes alone to fix telephone problems at the nuke sites. Some of them were guarded by MP's and geese, lol.

I am fluent in German so I often had to do "special" duties.

In the 165'th I remember CO Captain Christopher Benoit. We'd be out in the woods sometimes and he would send us a pizza. I believe that was for Able Archer? I also remember a Captain Woodhouse in the 165th.

I was also attached to the 267th Sig co. in Pirmasens and did work for them in the telephone office in the Banana building and Muenchweiler and Dahn and Fischbach. The woods out there were so beautiful. I am a rock climber so when I was off I would often take my POV and go climbing with some of the German civilians I met on the sandstone cliffs which were all over the place.

I remember doing special duty driver for General Cunningham sometimes.

Permissive Action Link Detachment

(Source: Email from Gary Smith, PAL Det, 1963-67)

I was assigned to the USA PAL Det (Permissive Action Link) from 1963 to 1967. The unit was organized to install the Permissive Action Link devices throughout the European Theater. The unit spent its time in the early stages testing the devices before the program was fully implemented and then traveled throughout the theater installing the devices. I was with the unit almost from its inception until the program was fully implemented.

Teams were composed of two commissioned officers and two non-commisioned officers, E-6 and above. Each team was composed of two sub teams, A and B, so that no one individual knew the entire code utilized. There was extensive travel throughout the theater during the implementation phase.

I’m sure you know what the Permissive Action Link is, it is fairly common knowledge now but at its inception the mission and everything about it was highly classified.I didn’t even tell my Dad what I did until a few years after I was out of the Army.

As it was, the unit was almost the “president’s baby” and we got almost anything we wanted.The CO at the inception, a Major H. Eugene Kelson, took full advantage of this and we got many privileges and perks, such as a 6 day TDY trip to Paris to learn about NATO.Major (later Colonel) Kelson was a real character and I can remember on two occasions he almost got us arrested.

For almost a year, the mission was not fully agreed on and we didn’t have a lot to do.There was a lot of pinochle and ping pong played but in the end this may have paid off, as the personnel became very close knit.Most of the young officers in the unit lived in BOQ’s in two army posts, one of which was half school teachers and one which was more than half nurses.

We had a great group and we went on week end trips in small groups almost all over Germany.Munich and Garmisch-Partenkirchen were our favorites.At least a couple of marriages blossomed out of this close relationship but a lot of the relationships were more like brother and sister.

A later phase of the mission involved tested of the devices and became very boring.Can you imagine eight hours a day opening combination locks over and over?There were quite a few failures in the early days and this testing phase stretched out for quite a long time, but the devices had to work flawlessly.Much of the early testing was at the 529th Ordnance Company in tunnels dug during the Second World War by the Germans

.

(Source: Email from William Howard)

I also was a member of the PAL Detachment. Arrived in Pirmasens on 29 Dec 1964 and was assigned to the PAL Detachment. We were a subordinate unit of USAREURCOMZ. While I was there we were not a part of the 59th Ord. Bde.

I was there from Dec 64 until Oct 1966, then was sent to Orleans to the 11th Military History Detachment to write the history of the move out of France.

In March 1967 I returned to the PAL Detachment and was there until June 1967 at which time I returned to the USA, enroute Vietnam.

Although all host nations except the Federal Republic
of Germany encountered problems in providing the agreed
level of logistocal support to US custodial detachments,
USAREUR provided nuclear weapons and custodial support
to 18 additional non-US NATO delivery units that achieved
nuclear operational status during 1966. (See table.)

In addition, 14 Belgian, FRG, and Italian delivery units
-- including one 8-inch howitzer, three Honest John, and
ten Nike Hercules batteries -- were to achieve nuclear
capability during the first half of 1967.

TIMELINES
(the following timeline is still in draft
form - I am experimenting to find a good way to present
the attachments/detachments of subordinate units and assignments of
missions - and, yes, suggestions are welcome!)

1. 552nd
USAAG, 1960s-1970s (KB)

Warhead
Custodial Detachments - early 1980s

NORTHAG

UNIT

HQS
UNIT

STATION

SUPPORTED UNIT

COMMENTS

13th USAFAD

294th USAAG

Liliencron Kaserne,
Kellinghusen

Arty Regt 6 (1)

6th GE Inf Div (Mech)

75th
USAFAD

294th USAAG

von-Briesen Kaserne,
Flensburg

Arty Comd 600 (2)

GE Rkt Bn 650 (LANCE)

99th Ord Det

294th USAAG

von-Briesen Kaserne,
Flensburg

LANDJUT
Corps

.

294th USAAG

59th
Ord Bde

von-Briesen Kaserne,
Flensburg

LANDJUT
Corps

294th supports German
elements of LANDJUT Corps

_

_

_

1st
USAFAD

552nd
USAAG

Schill Kaserne,
Wesel

Arty Comd 1 (3)

GE Rkt Bn 150 (LANCE)

5th
USAFAD

552nd
USAAG

Dünsen

Arty Regt 11 (4)

11th GE Inf Div
(Mech)

8th USAFAD

552nd USAAG

Johannes Post Kaserne,
Havelte, Neth.

Dutch LANCE unit
(5)

I NE Corps

23rd
USAFAD

552nd
USAAG

LTC Tonnet Kaserne,
t'Harde, Neth.

Dutch unit (6)

I NE Corps

25th USAFAD

552nd
USAAG

Niedersachsen Kaserne,
Barme

Arty Regt 3 (7)

3rd GE Armd Div

32nd
USAFAD

552nd
USAAG

Clausewitz Kaserne,
Nienburg

Arty Regt 1 (8)

1st GE Armd Div

81st
USAFAD

552nd
USAAG

St. Barbara Kaserne,
Dülmen

Arty
Regt 7 (9)

7th GE Armd Div

162nd
Ord Co

552nd USAAG

Mühlenberg
Kaserne, Sögel

I
GE Corps; I NE Corps

.

552nd
USAAG

59th Ord Bde

Mühlenberg
Kaserne, Sögel

I
GE Corps; I NE Corps

.

_

_

_

4th USAFAD

570th
USAAG

Houthulst Kaserne,
Werl

(10)

I BE Corps

9th
USAFAD

570th
USAAG

Northumberland Barracks,
Menden

26 Fld Regt (11)

UK

15th
USAFAD

570th
USAAG

Barker Barracks,
Bergen

5 Hvy Regt (12)
??

UK

22nd
USAFAD

570th
USAAG

Dempsey Barracks,
Sennelager

39 Fld Regt (13)
??

UK

26th USAFAD

570th
USAAG

Paderborn

27 Fld Regt (14)
??

UK

69th
USAFAD

570th
USAAG

Peninsular Barracks,
Menden

50 Msl Regt (15)

UK

583rd Ord Co

570th
USAAG

Handorf Kaserne,
Münster

I
UK Corps; I BE Corps

570th USAAG

59th
Ord Bde

Handorf Kaserne,
Münster

I
UK Corps; I BE Corps

(1)

.

(2)

.

(3)

.

(4)

.

(5)

.

(6)

.

(7)

.

(8)

The
32nd USAFAD has 65 assigned soldiers; about half hold Atomic
Demolition and Munitions job specialty (MOS 12E) and the others
are Army Artillery Cannoneers.

(9)

.

(10)

The
4th USAFAD supports four different artillery battalions within
I BE Corps (including one LANCE battalion).

(11)

.

(12)

.

(13)

.

(14)

.

(15)

.

CENTAG

UNIT

HQS
UNIT

STATION

SUPPORTED UNIT

COMMENTS

3rd
USAFAD

557th USAAG

Salm Kaserne, Philippsburg

Arty Regt 12 (1)

12th GE Armd Div

7th USAFAD

557th USAAG

Hardtberg Kaserne,
Treysa

Arty Regt 2 (2)

2nd GE Inf Div (Mech)

30th
USAFAD

557th USAAG

Steuben Kaserne,
Giessen

Arty Regt 5 (3)

5th GE Armd Div

83rd
USAFAD

557th USAAG

Westerwald Kaserne,
Montabaur

Arty Comd 3 (4)

GE Rkt Bn 350 (LANCE)

85th
USAFAD

557th USAAG

Fliegerhorst Kaserne,
Teveren

FKG 2 (2ATAF) (5)

German Air Force
Pershing unit

96th Ord Co

557th USAAG

Aartal Kaserne,
Herbornseelbach

III GE Corps; 2ATAF

_

557th USAAG

59th Ord Bde

Aartal Kaserne,
Herbornseelbach

III GE Corps; 2ATAF

_

_

_

2nd
USAFAD

512th USAAG

Gen.-von-Fritsch
Kaserne, Pfullendorf

ArtyRegt10 (6)

10th GE Armd Div

24th
USAFAD

512th USAAG

von-Leeb Kaserne,
Landsberg

Mtn Arty Regt 8
(7)_

1st GE Mtn Div

36th USAFAD

512th USAAG

Steuben Kaserne,
Hemau

Arty Regt 4 (8)

4th GE Inf Div (Mech)

74th
USAFAD

512th
USAAG

Schwabstadl Kaserne,
Schwabstadl

FKG 1 (4ATAF) (9)

German Air Force
Pershing unit

84th USAFAD

512th
USAAG

Eberhardt Finck
Kaserne, Grossengstingen

Arty Comd 2 (10)

GE Rkt Bn 250 (LANCE)

510th
Ord Co

512th USAAG

Neue Kaserne, Günzburg

II GE Corps; 4ATAF

_

512th
USAAG

59th
Ord Bde

Neue Kaserne, Günzburg

II GE Corps; 4ATAF

_

(1)

.

(2)

.

(3)

.

(4)

The 83rd USAFAD, the
only LANCE support unit within the 557th, supports the 350th
GE Rocket Bn and III GE Corps Artillery.

(5)

The 85th USAFAD supports
PERSHING missile system and is the largest unit within the 557th;
it has more than 200 assigned soldiers and a large signal detachment.

(6)

.

(7)

The 24th USAFAD, comprised
mainly of 13B artillerymen and 12E atomic demolition specialists,
provided special weapons support to the 1st German Mountain
Division and to II German Corps, with direct support provided
to the 2nd Company/210th German Pioneer Battalion and the 8th
German Mountain Artillery Regiment.

(8)

.

(9)

.The 74th USAFAD supports
PERSHING missile system and is the largest unit within the 512th
USAAG - about 600 soldiers.

(10)

.

Related Links:570th USAAG- a comprehensive site that covers the special weapons support group and its subordinate warhead custodial detachments.4th USAFAD - web site dedicated to those who served at the 4th USAFAD during the COLD WAR. 8th Missile Det - Edward Starks has just started a website dedicated to the 8th Missile Det stationed in Steenwijk, the Netherlands.27th Ordnance Company, Büren - great website hosted by a former member of the 27th Ord Co. The company supported 570th USAAG.27th Ordnance Company- Picasa Photo page Site Pluto - 69th Ordnance Company - a very interesting site hosted by John Myers that features Site Pluto, located at Longare, Italy, which was operated by the 69th Ord Co and used as a depot for atomic weapons in support of the 559th USAAG's mission in Italy.81st USAFAD, Dülmen - Homepage of the Dülmen Warthogs! 84th USAFAD, Grossengstingen - nice page
dedicated to the veterans who served with the 84th USAFAD at Grossengstingen, southern Germany. History
of a Quick Reaction Alert site - Ochsenhof (German language
only!) - site is hosted by Jörg Auernhammer, a former member
of the 1st Flugkörperstaffel of FKG 1 at Saarburgkaserne, Landsberg/Lech,
1980s. This unit was supported by 74th USAFAD, 512th USAAG. Site contains
a nice strip map of QRA Ochsenhof.50
Missile Regiment - Excellent homepage of the British missile
unit that was supported by the 69th USAFAD.Traditionsvereinigung
RakArtBtl 150 - a website hosted by veterans of the III (GE)
Corps LANCE unit out of Wesel. This link goes directly to their What's
New Page - a link there leads to the History Page of the 150th which
was initially equipped with the SERGEANT and later the LANCE missile.
The unit was supported by 1st USAFAD. (Sorry, German language only!)NATO
Armies 1950-1980, the first thirty years - an interesting
web page by Jose-Maria SerranoKampementen & Legerplaatsen & Kazernes - Dutch website shows many pictures of Dutch military installations in Holland and Germany - some familiar to US warhead custodial detachments - Harde t' (Luitenant-kolonel Tonnet Kazerne) and Havelte - Steenwijkerwold ( Johannes Post Kazerne) ; also check out the Duitsland (Germany) link that leads to a page with several of the NIKE sites